Aliancys Resins Employed in FB Design’s High Speed Boats

Aliancys' Atlac and Synolite resins are being used for the manufacture of FB Design's high speed boats.

FB Design’s products include coastguard and military vessels, racing boats, as well as high speed leisure boats. Its customers demand performance and reliability.

The business was established in 1971 by Fabio Buzzi, mechanical engineer and offshore pilot.

“It is not so easy to make high speed boats that are both strong and safe for the crew,” he explains. “For maximum speeds and easy manoeuvring in planar mode the boats must be as light as possible. They must also maintain their shape at these elevated velocities, as deformation of the shell will affect the aerodynamic characteristics and boat efficiency. At the same time, the structure must protect the crew in an unlikely situation of an accident. We have been working over many years with the technical support from Aliancys and Euroresins to fine-tune the design, and get the best of out of composites for our products.”

The boats made by FB Design feature double shell hulls made through hand lay-up processes using Atlac 580 ACT and Synolite 288 resins from Aliancys, supplied through distributor Euroresins. Longitudinal stiffeners are built in to provide structural integrity. The space between the double shells and the stiffeners is filled with closed-cell polyurethane foam for maximum buoyancy. If the end-use requires ballistic protection, different solutions are applied based on Kevlar, ceramics, or ballistic steel.

In more than 45 years of activity, boats made by FB Design have won a total of 52 World Championships, the Harmsworth Trophy seven times and have set 56 world speed records.

“Every time I participate in such a race I feel the adrenaline in my veins,” adds Fabio Buzzi. “Yet I know I can fully rely on my boats and will reach the finish without trouble. For making a good boat I need reliable suppliers, like Aliancys and Euroresins. The products they supply to us are consistent in quality and bring predictable performance. At the same time, I truly appreciate their bright ideas to ensure that we can make our boats deliver during the moments of truth.”

Technical Fibre Products (TFP) will focus on the capability of its Optiveil nonwovens to deliver an exceptional quality surface finish, with examples from the sporting goods and marine industries displayed.

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